Maintenance Exam: know what’s on it before test day.
For Maintenance Mechanic, Electronic Technician, Building Equipment Mechanic, Skilled trades jobs. PostalPath Complete includes a full Exam 955 practice test and the guides for applying, testing and starting the job.
Postal Exam 955 (Maintenance): what's on it, the rules, and what's changing
Exam 955 is the maintenance selection exam for Maintenance Mechanic, Mail Processing Equipment Mechanic, Electronic Technician, Building Equipment Mechanic, Area Maintenance Technician and related skilled-trade jobs. Unlike the online entry assessments, it's a computer-based exam taken at a test center, in two parts: Multicraft (mechanical and electrical knowledge) and Spatial Relations, usually followed by a structured interview.
Exam 955 is still required where current postings name it. In August 2026 the postal service and the maintenance union agreed to replace it with a new set of exams (961 to 965), with no structured interview except for one grade; as of October 20, 2026 no transition date had been announced and no information packages for the new exams had been published. If your posting names 955, prepare for 955.
PostalPath is an independent company and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the United States Postal Service. Applying for USPS jobs is free at usps.com. Applying and taking the assessment are free; the posting or your invitation names the exact assessment, and PostalPath’s guidance is a starting point, not an official determination.
Who takes Exam 955
- Maintenance Mechanic
- Mail Processing Equipment Mechanic
- Electronic Technician
- Building Equipment Mechanic
- Area Maintenance Technician
- Building Maintenance Custodian
How the assessment starts
- You apply to a maintenance posting on the official career search (these jobs are posted on the older eCareer system, not the newer careers site).
- If you're invited, you schedule a seat at a test center and get scheduling instructions by email; watch your spam folder the day you apply.
- Arrive 15 minutes early with a government-issued photo ID and the login details from your instructions; no personal items or electronic devices are allowed in the testing room.
The rules at a glance
| Where | On a computer at a test center |
|---|---|
| Total time | About two hours |
| Part 1 | Multicraft: 60 questions, 60 minutes |
| Part 2 | Spatial Relations: the official package gives two different lengths (68 questions in 40 minutes, or 65 in 60 minutes). Train at the faster pace and follow the timer on your screen |
| Scoring | Number correct; no penalty for guessing |
| Passing | 70, not counting veterans' preference points (added only to a passing score) |
| If you don't pass | Your Notice of Result shows a Retest Eligibility Date; you retest by applying to another posting that uses Exam 955. The last published waiting period for outside applicants was 120 days (2014 handbook); follow your notice |
| Your result | Kept in your candidate profile and reused for other Exam 955 postings until the expiration date on your notice (policy minimum: two years). A retest result replaces your old one, even if it's lower |
| Cost | Free. The postal service never charges for applications or exams |
The sections on Exam 955
| Section | What you do | Scored? |
|---|---|---|
| Multicraft | Mechanical and electrical maintenance knowledge: principles, safety, basic math and formulas, reading drawings and schematics | Yes (60 questions) |
| Spatial Relations | Picturing shapes and objects in your head: rotations, assembled parts, hidden views | Yes (65 to 68 questions) |
| Structured interview | For most 955 jobs, a scored interview follows a passing exam | Separately |
The official package doesn't say whether a calculator is provided (personal devices aren't allowed), doesn't publish how many Multicraft questions come from each area, and the current package lists only Multicraft and Spatial Relations (older handbooks described an extra work-style questionnaire). Facilities Maintenance Technician jobs use a different exam, 964.
How your score is used
- Your score is the number correct, with no guessing penalty, so answer every question.
- 70 passes before veterans' preference points are added.
- Postings rank or refer by score, so aim higher than passing: a retest replaces your old result even if the new one is lower, so retest only when you're ready to beat your score.
- Each part is timed by the computer. You can review a part before its time ends; once it ends, you can't go back.
Practice Exam 955 before test day
PostalPath Complete includes a full Exam 955 practice test (Multicraft and both Spatial Relations lengths), plus the guides for applying, testing and starting the job. One payment, lifetime access, 60-day guarantee.
Tips that actually matter
- Practice all the math by hand: unit conversions, Ohm's law, power, gear ratios, area and volume.
- Train Spatial Relations at the faster official pace (about 35 seconds per question).
- Study the knowledge the job standard lists: mechanical and electrical principles, safety, hand and power tools, reading drawings.
- Install updates and sort your ID and login details the day before; being 15 minutes late means you aren't admitted.
- Prepare for the structured interview as seriously as the exam: it's scored and it decides who gets referred.
Exam 955 questions people ask
- Is Exam 955 being replaced?
- Yes, eventually. An August 2026 agreement replaces the Exam 955 process with five new exams (961 to 965) and removes the structured interview for all but one grade. No effective date or new information packages had been published as of October 20, 2026. Current postings that name Exam 955 still require it.
- Where do I take Exam 955?
- At a test center, on a computer, in one session of about two hours. Online entry assessments (474 to 477) are taken at home; 955 is not.
- What score do I need to pass Exam 955?
- 70, not counting veterans' preference points. Postings rank or refer by score, so higher is better.
- Can I retake Exam 955 if I fail?
- Your Notice of Result shows a Retest Eligibility Date. You retest by applying to another posting that uses Exam 955 (not the same one). The new result replaces the old one, even if it's lower.
- Is there a calculator?
- The official package doesn't say, and personal devices aren't allowed in the testing room. Practice the math by hand.
Reviewed October 2026 against the official exams and careers pages, the current candidate guide and Inspector General reports. PostalPath practice questions are original; they are not real, official or leaked questions.